19 mar 2025
1.I liked playing the Blooket.
2.Have more activities like looking at the telescope
3.Have more activities like playing a planet game
2 Apr 2025
I liked playing Blooket and also the Stellarium. I also liked the presentation on the sandbox universe. We learned much from it, like how Lunar and solar eclipses occur. We also learned about what nuclear pasta is.
9 Apr 2025
I enjoyed making the slides with some random group of people today. I got to know more about them and made bonds with them. I also enjoyed the Blooket game at the start of the CCA. I would like to have more games.
16 Apr 2025
I enjoyed playing Blooket and learning about orbits and gravity. I also learned the 3 Kepler laws, which are:
Planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus.
So, planet paths aren’t perfect circles—they’re stretched out a bit.
A planet sweeps out equal areas in equal time.
This means planets move faster when closer to the Sun and slower when farther away.
The square of a planet’s orbital period is proportional to the cube of its distance from the Sun.
I also learned that the Universe is 93 billion light years.
Thats all ok can I go now.
Apr 23 2025:
If I could travel back in time and join an ancient civilization, I’d love to introduce them to the world of astrology. I’d explain how observing the stars and tracking their movements could be incredibly useful in everyday life. For example, they could use the stars to navigate at night, helping them explore new places and travel more safely. I’d also show them how paying attention to the sky could teach them about natural cycles, like when to plant or harvest crops, just by noticing patterns like the rising of certain stars. Beyond the practical stuff, astrology could also help them feel more connected to the universe and to each other. It could become something meaningful in their culture, giving them a sense of curiosity, wonder, and even identity. My goal would be to help them see that the night sky isn’t just beautiful — it can guide, teach, and inspire them too.
Apr 30 2025:
Today, we learned abt Telescopes and how to assemble and disassemble them. We also learned that telescopes can kill ppl if they fall on them. Some things we learned about the parts of a telescope, such as the eyepiece, the tripod, the counterweight, and many other parts.
3 cool things I learned abt telescopes:
1. Telescopes magnify distant objects, making it possible to observe faint stars, nebulae, and even galaxies that are too far to see with the naked eye. This ability to collect and focus light allows us to explore the cosmos in greater detail.
2. Telescopes can kill u if u mishandle them.
3. Unveiling the Universe: Telescopes have played a crucial role in understanding the universe's structure and evolution. By observing distant objects and studying their light, astronomers have discovered galaxies' existence, the universe's expansion, and the formation of stars and planets.
May 7 2025
Today, we delved into the fascinating topic of hospitable planets and constellations. We began by exploring what makes a planet suitable for life, including factors like temperature, atmosphere, and the presence of water. We discussed several exoplanets that have been discovered in the habitable zones of their stars, highlighting the excitement surrounding potential life beyond Earth. Later, we turned our attention to constellations, learning about their history and significance in various cultures. We identified some of the most prominent constellations visible in the night sky and how they have been used for navigation and storytelling throughout the ages. Overall, it was an engaging lesson that sparked our curiosity about the universe and our place within it.
Who do u think had a greater influence on astronomy? : Galileo or Newton
Contributions: First to use a telescope for systematic astronomical observations.
Key Achievements:
Discovered Jupiter’s moons (proving not everything orbits Earth).
Observed phases of Venus (supporting heliocentrism).
Saw mountains on the Moon and sunspots (challenged idea of "perfect heavens").
Impact: Helped prove the Copernican model and transformed astronomy into an observational science.
Contributions: Developed the law of universal gravitation and laws of motion.
Key Achievements:
Wrote Principia Mathematica, laying the mathematical foundation of celestial mechanics.
Explained planetary motion, tides, and orbits using physics.
Invented the reflecting telescope, improving observation.
Impact: Turned astronomy into a precise mathematical science, allowing accurate predictions of orbits and motion. His work remained the foundation of physics and astronomy for centuries.
Galileo made astronomy modern. Newton gave astronomy its predictive power and deep physical understanding.
Newton had the greater overall influence on astronomy.
14 May 2025:
Q1. I'm considering making some enhancements to our current setup by adding a few heaters to keep the space warm and inviting, especially during the colder months. I also envision incorporating a beautiful glass dome to create a striking visual centerpiece while allowing natural light to filter through. To add some texture and a more natural feel to the environment, I’d like to include a selection of rocks that can be arranged artistically.
Q2: To ensure that we can enjoy this space comfortably without the risk of overheating, I think it would be wise to integrate a reflective layer. This layer would serve a dual purpose: it would not only help in preventing heatstroke by reflecting sunlight away from the area but also contribute to maintaining a comfortable temperature indoors, making it an enjoyable space year-round.
21 may 2025:
Today we did a summary of the past subjects.
Building space bases on Mercury would likely involve constructing subterranean colonies within stable lava tubes, offering natural shielding from extreme temperatures and radiation. Alternatively, surface-based facilities could be located in permanently shadowed craters at the poles, where water ice might be present, allowing for photolysis to create oxygen.
2 July 2025:
Today we had a welcome back to Astro club and after that we learnt about global space program and then we played blooket.
9 July 2025:
Q1.
A neutron star's anatomy consists of an atmosphere, crust, and core, each with distinct properties. The atmosphere is a thin layer of gas, followed by a solid crust of heavy atomic nuclei and free electrons. Deep inside, the core is thought to be composed of a dense soup of neutrons, protons, and electrons, potentially transitioning into quark matter at the very center.
Q2.
Red dwarfs and white dwarfs are distinct stellar objects with different characteristics. Red dwarfs are small, cool, and long-lived main-sequence stars that primarily fuse hydrogen into helium. White dwarfs, on the other hand, are the dense remnants of stars that have exhausted their nuclear fuel, composed mainly of carbon and oxygen, and are much hotter and smaller than red dwarfs.
23 July 2025
Today we had a scavager hunt where we were supposed to look for a beeping "Bomb" that can only be heard by a reciever which is something that recieves signals. Me and my team ended up not finding a the "Bomb" but we had a lot of fun trying to find it.
Q1. How do you think fox hunting works ?
Preparation: Hunters (often in red or black jackets) gather with horses and hounds at a designated place, called a meet.
Scent Detection: The hounds are released into the countryside to pick up the scent of a fox. They use their keen sense of smell to track it.
The Chase: Once a scent is found, the hounds follow the fox’s trail. The hunters follow on horseback, jumping fences and riding across fields to keep up.
The End: Traditionally, the chase ends when the hounds catch the fox and kill it. However, in many countries like the UK, this is now illegal. So instead, “trail hunting” is used — the hounds follow an artificially laid scent instead of a live fox.
Controversy: Fox hunting has been highly controversial due to animal cruelty concerns. Supporters see it as tradition and pest control; opponents view it as unnecessary and inhumane.
Q2. What do you think are the applications of fox hunting in astronomy ?
In astronomy, scientists often search for hard-to-detect celestial objects, like exoplanets, dark matter, or near-Earth asteroids.
This is similar to hounds tracking a fox: you follow clues (gravitational wobbles, light curves, radio signals) to find something hidden.
Application:
The hunt for exoplanets (e.g., using the transit method or radial velocity) mirrors tracking something invisible using indirect evidence.
6 Aug 2025
Today I learnt about Stars and also Trigonometry, such as Tan, sine an d cosine. I enjoyed the slides on stars and i think one way to improve is to have games.
1. How do you think you can apply the sine and cosine rules in real life?
✅ 1. Navigation and Map Reading (Cosine Rule)
Scenario: You're trying to find the distance between two points (like towns) where you know two sides of a triangle (e.g., roads) and the angle between them.
Application: Use the cosine rule to calculate the unknown distance.
Scenario: Builders and engineers need to measure angles and lengths that aren’t easy to measure directly, especially in non-right-angled structures.
Application: Use sine or cosine rules to find missing lengths or angles in sloped roofs, bridges, or support beams.
Scenario: A surveyor needs to calculate the width of a river or the height of a building without direct access.
Application: By forming a triangle and using the sine rule, they can find unknown distances using measured angles and one known side.
Scenario: Astronomers calculate the distance between celestial bodies that form a triangle with Earth.
Application: Using the cosine rule, they can compute long distances based on known angles and baselines.
2. How to measure the mass of a star?
When two stars orbit each other, we can observe their orbits and apply Newton’s version of Kepler’s 3rd Law:
M1+M2=4π2a3GT2M_1 + M_2 = \frac{4\pi^2a^3}{G T^2}M1+M2=GT24π2a3
Where:
M1+M2M_1 + M_2M1+M2 = combined mass of both stars
aaa = average distance between the stars
TTT = orbital period
GGG = gravitational constant
Once the orbital distance and period are measured (by observing the stars' motion), scientists can calculate the total mass — and then find the individual masses based on how the stars wobble or orbit.
13 Aug 2025:
Today we learnt about how stars are formed and other facts about stars.
Can stellar spectronomy be applied somewhere else?
Yes! Stellar spectroscopy (studying light from stars to learn about their properties) can be applied far beyond just studying stars.
By analyzing starlight passing through a planet’s atmosphere during a transit, scientists can detect gases like oxygen, methane, or water vapor.
This is how astronomers look for signs of habitability or life.
The same spectroscopic techniques can measure carbon dioxide, ozone, and pollutants in Earth’s air.
Used in satellites to monitor climate change and air quality.
Space probes use spectroscopy to study surface composition of the Moon, Mars, asteroids, and comets.
Example: NASA’s Perseverance rover uses laser-induced spectroscopy to identify minerals.
Spectroscopy is used in MRI machines, blood analysis, and medical imaging to study tissues and detect disease.
Identifying unknown substances in crime labs.
Checking purity of materials in manufacturing.
💡 Summary:
While stellar spectroscopy started as a tool for studying stars, its underlying principle — analyzing light to find composition, temperature, and motion — is now used in planet research, environmental science, medicine, and industry.
20 Aug 2025
Today we learnt about stars, pulsars, and black holes.
I found it very interesting to see how stars are formed and how they change over time. Pulsars were especially fascinating because they spin very fast and send out beams of radiation, almost like a cosmic lighthouse. Black holes were also exciting to learn about, as they have such strong gravity that even light cannot escape. This lesson helped me understand more about how mysterious and powerful space can be.
:D
27 Aug 2025
Today, we started with a scavager hunt for the beeping device but my group didnt find it. After that, we learnt more about the sun. I think the most interesting thing i learnt about the sun today is